Driving ban 'is discrimination against diabetics'

Diabetes sufferers say a lifetime driving ban imposed on a Mullingar truck driver last week is discriminatory.

The Diabetes Federation is appealing the ruling against Thomas McWeeney, who had his licence revoked after he was found driving in a glycemic state.

Chairman of the federation, Dr Tony O'Sullivan, says diabetes sufferers pose no greater risk than any other driver and this is reflected in the fact that insurance companies don’t charge extra on their policies.

Dr O’Sullivan also said that research in the area showed that sufferers of type 1 Diabetes have one low-bloodsugar-related road traffic event every 10,000,000km, and this is not a high enough chance to justifiy taking away someone’s drivers licence.